About Delft3D

Delft3D is a world leading 3D modeling suite to investigate hydrodynamics, sediment transport and morphology and water quality for fluvial, estuarine and coastal environments. As per 1 January 2011, the Delft3D flow (FLOW), morphology (MOR) and waves (WAVE) modules are available in open source.

The software is used and has proven his capabilities on many places around the world, like the Netherlands, USA, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, Venice, etc. The software is continuously improved and developed with innovating advanced modelling techniques as consequence of the research work of our institute and to stay world leading.

The FLOW module is the heart of Delft3D and is a multi-dimensional (2D or 3D) hydrodynamic (and transport) simulation programme which calculates non-steady flow and transport phenomena resulting from tidal and meteorological forcing on a curvilinear, boundary fitted grid or sperical coordinates. In 3D simulations, the vertical grid is defined following the so-called sigma coordinate approach or Z-layer approach. The MOR module computes sediment transport (both suspended and bed total load) and morphological changes for an arbitrary number of cohesive and non-cohesive fractions. Both currents and waves act as driving forces and a wide variety of transport formulae have been incorporated. For the suspended load this module connects to the 2D or 3D advection-diffusion solver of the FLOW module; density effects may be taken into account. An essential feature of the MOR module is the dynamic feedback with the FLOW and WAVE modules, which allow the flows and waves to adjust themselves to the local bathymetry and allows for simulations on any time scale from days (storm impact) to centuries (system dynamics). It can keep track of the bed composition to build up a stratigraphic record. The MOR module may be extended to include extensive features to simulate dredging and dumping scenarios.

For over 30 years Deltares has been in the forefront of these types of combined morphological simulation techniques.

About Deltares

Deltares is a leading, independent, Dutch-based research institute for matters relating to water, soil and the subsurface. We apply our advanced expertise to help people live safely and sustainably in delta areas, coastal zones and river basins. We conduct research and provide specialist advisory services for government authorities and the corporate sector in The Netherlands and worldwide. We constantly extend our knowledge base via government research programmes and contract research, forming consortia with universities and other research institutes, encouraging innovation, and accelerating the practical implementation of new theoretical advances. We aim towards the sustainable enhancement of the living environment, with technological solutions that have the support of society as a whole, putting into practice our strategic principle: ‘Enabling Delta Life'.